Urgent - Health impacts of bringing jets to Toronto’s waterfront communities

Investigating the increased risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and tumours from bringing jets to Toronto’s waterfront communities.

URGENT: This Monday, July 13, 2026, the city will hear deputations (in person or online or email) in support of the motion below. Read below for how to participate.

City Council on May 20 and 21, 2026, adopted the following:

1. City Council request the Board of Health to request the Medical Officer of Health to:

a. collect all available data from studies related to the potential health impacts of transportation emissions, including ultrafine particles, and noise, including the presence, expansion, and introducing jets in close proximity to residential communities, in the context of Billy Bishop Airport, specifically, Pearson International Airport, and in other jurisdictions internationally; and

b. work with Health Canada to conduct a comprehensive study of the potential health impacts of jets in proximity to Billy Bishop Airport including an assessment of the related costs and burdens to our public healthcare system, and a comparison to Pearson International Airport.

2. City Council request the Government of Canada to update air pollution regulations to include safety standards for ultrafine particles (UFPs) that reflect the most precautionary exposure limits to protect human health and actions to greatly reduce the sources of ultrafine particles.

You can make a deputation online or in person. 

Participate here

The Board of Health agenda

On their web page (click the above "participate here" button), there are two ways for members of the public to communicate on the item.

• Submit comments: An email message will be sent to the Board

• Request to Speak: Register to make a deputation. Deputations are permitted for 5 minutes of speaking time. On occasion, when agendas are large with many speakers, this time is reduced to 3 minutes, through motion at the beginning of the meeting.

• Deputations can be made in person at the City Hall Committee room 1, or online

• The timing of deputations is dependent on length of time other items will be completed. This agenda has 4 other items, and best estimate is late morning. The meeting can be monitored on Youtube, and by item tracker (links on the website)

Please circulate to people in your buildings and to your networks